Russia criticises new Canadian sanctions, warns of response
MOSCOW, June 30 (Reuters) - Russia expressed disappointment on Tuesday over new sanctions imposed by Canada over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis and warned that it would respond.
"The new sanctions will only add negativity to Russian-Canadian relations which are already not going through their best times because of Ottawa," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement. "Of course, this attack will not go unanswered."
Canada announced economic sanctions on Monday against Russian energy firms including natural gas producer Gazprom.
Meanwhile, in western Ukraine, illegal amber extraction is causing environmental havoc:
Industrial-scale mining is causing devastation to swathes of forest in western Ukraine. The country's interior ministry says the business is controlled by criminal gangs that make up to $500 million a year. Despite the fact that the activity is illegal, the gangs carry out their work quite openly. The police say they don't have the resources to stop it – but activists say local officials have been paid off. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
